Improvement in the manufacture of buttons



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS PROSSER, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,199, dated July 99, 1841; antedated January 29, 1841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS PROSSER, of the town of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, civil engineer and architect, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Buttons; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My improvement in the manufacture of buttons consists, first, in making them of materials not heretofore used for or applied to that purpose-to wit, such clay-earths or other earthy materials and metallic oxides as are now commonly used by pottersin the manufacture of domestic earthenware; and, secondly, in making them in metallic molds, in which the materials are compressed with considerable force by means of a common fly screw-press, or any other suitable mechanical contrivance, after being reduced to a fine powder.

The pressure given must be sufficient to cause the powdered clay to cohere and retain the form of the button which is impressed upon it in the mold, after which it is to be fired and glazed in the potters kiln in the usual manner, and also painted or printed similar to ordinary porcelain, if required. Such buttons as have holes in them for the purpose of sewing them on the clothing are then complete; but those requiring shanks of metal have them stuck into a recess made in the button for that purpose by means of shellac or other cement; or they are attached to a shell which covers the whole of the back of the button and turns a little over the front, the front of the button only appearing set in a metallic frame or shell, and at the back of which is the shank.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to THOMAS PROSSER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE BRADLEY, JAMES BRADLEY. 

